The company that owns the Radisson Hotel in Rapid City has yet to go to trial in a sexual-harassment lawsuit filed in 2006 by five former employees.

According to U.S. District Court documents, the suit against Shiba Investments of Rapid City, the company that owns the Radisson, is based on allegations of a hostile work environment, sexual harassment, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Karim Merali owns Shiba Investments and the Radisson.

Sarah Tooker Htoutou claims that in November 2004, Gunter Schnepp, a chef at Enigma, the restaurant in the Radisson, began making sexual comments to her.

Tooker Htoutou filed a complaint, and the next day, Schnepp sexually accosted her, court documents say.

Tooker Htoutou said when she complained to Andennebi El Janati, the executive chef, and Abdelilah "Jamel" Safir, the manager, they took no action.

Tooker Htoutou said the next month, Safir grabbed her and Schnepp kissed her.

In court documents, another plaintiff, Wendy Leonard, a former employee of the Radisson, said that Safir and El Janati frequently referred to female servers with a variety of profane names.

Safir fired Leonard after she complained to the hotel's human-resources department, she said.

Celsa Oddo, another former server at Enigma, says in court documents that she was often grabbed by Safir and that he often made sexual comments to her.

Oddo also alleged that Schnepp made sexual comments to her. Oddo said she quit because of the harassment.

Two other men, Khalid Jadari and Mohamed Htoutou, are also named as plaintiffs in the case.

Court documents said the two men were told not to tell anyone what they knew about harassment taking place at the business. According to the complaint, Jadari was told by Melari not to associate with Tooker Htoutou and Htoutou or he would lose his job. Jadari also alleges that Merali pressured him to refrain from revealing what he knew regarding incidents of harassment at Enigma.

When Jadari refused, he was fired, court papers said.

Attorneys for both sides were contacted abut would not comment on the case.

Court documents said suits filed by two other women, Debra Knight and Amanda Yellow Robe, alleging the same type of incidents against Shiba Investments, were dismissed in August 2006.

Out-of-court settlements are not public record.

In 2007, U.S. District Judge Richard H. Battey ruled to consolidate the case of the five plaintiffs.

Battey ruled late last month to allow each side until March to file dispositive motions in the case.

Contact Katie Brown at 394-8318 or katie.brown@rapidcityjournal.com